TUSCALOOSA — During a recruiting visit to Florida's IMG Academy, Ed Orgeron immediately saw what made Saivion Smith stand out as one of the nation’s most coveted cornerback prospects in the 2016 class.

A big and physical defensive back at 6-foot-1, the consensus four-star Florida product was even being viewed as a possible safety coming out of high school.

But it was Smith’s other attributes, namely his impressive “speed, great feet, great acceleration” that allowed the future LSU head coach to envision him as a future NFL cornerback.

Which, of course, made Smith’s decision to transfer to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College following a one-year stint the Tigers in 2016 — the same season Orgeron received a midseason promotion to interim head coach before having the tag removed in 2017 — all the more difficult to swallow originally.

And it’ll inevitably get even harder Saturday night when Smith and top-ranked Alabama (8-0, 5-0 SEC) return to Baton Rouge, with Smith now starting at cornerback for the Crimson Tide.

“It was hard, it was hard (because) I obviously had a great relationship with his family, but it was best for him,” Orgeron said of Smith’s exodus from LSU on Wednesday during the SEC coaches teleconference. “He went to a junior college, did the things he was supposed to do. So I’m happy for him.”

As a true freshman in 2016, Smith played sparingly and only recorded only four total tackles and a pair of defended passes.

Two years later, Smith is a born-again starting corner at Alabama and a much-needed veteran presence within its mostly inexperienced defensive backfield after bouncing back from an early-season demotion.

“He’s doing a good job. We keep working with him. We think he’s getting more confident and done a good job,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said of Smith. “And I think that it’s going to be important that our corners play really well against their receivers. They take a lot of shots. They throw the ball downfield a lot. They’ve been pretty good at making explosive plays. So (Alabama’s) corners will be tested in this game, and how they play in the game will have a big impact on the outcome of the game, no doubt.”

The last time Smith got tested deep cost him his starting job as Alabama’s left cornerback after Ole Miss receiver D.K. Metcalf burned the Tide junior on a 75-yard touchdown on the Rebels’ first offensive play of their game last month, 11 seconds into what’d be a 62-7 blowout in favor of Alabama.

Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf (14) catches a touchdown pass against Alabama linebacker Christopher Allen (4) on the first play from scrimmage against Alabama in Oxford, Ms., on Saturday September 15, 2018.(Photo: Mickey Welsh)

Crimson Tide coaches immediately inserted promising five-star freshman cornerback Patrick Surtain II into Smith’s spot on the outside. The rookie more than held his own and has started every game since.

To his credit, though, Smith took the decision in stride and has responded since regaining his starting job following a season-ending injury to fellow junior corner Trevon Diggs three weeks ago, starting the last two games at left corner with Surtain sliding over to Diggs’ spot on the right side.

“He didn’t complain. He didn’t do anything. He just put his head down and worked, which is what you gotta do because when you see it played out you never know what can happen,” senior outside linebacker Christian Miller said of Smith. “Trevon ended up going down and we needed him to step up into a bigger role. … He’s just did a great job to keep on working, and (now) he’s in a position in which he’s in a large role for us and is doing a great job.”

In his first game back as a starter, Smith hauled in a career-high two interceptions against Missouri senior quarterback Drew Lock, and has seven total tackles — a third of his season total this season.

“He’s made strides all season,” junior safety Deionte Thompson said of Smith. “He’s a guy we’re counting on to keep improving every week. He’s doing a good job of that.”

Of course, while many might expect Saturday’s homecoming in Baton Rouge to bring out an array of emotions for Smith, teammates maintain he hasn’t been too talkative about the experience.

“Uh, not really. It’s just another game (to Smith),” Thompson said.

Smith is one of multiple Crimson Tide players (and coaches for that matter) with deep connections to LSU and the state of Louisiana in general, including 11 natives of “the Boot” — freshman receiver Slade Bolden, senior defensive end Isaiah Buggs, freshman kicker Joseph Bulovas, junior corner Shyheim Carter, freshman defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis, sophomore receiver DeVonta Smith, freshman safety Eddie Smith, and junior tight end Irv Smith, as well as a pair of Baton Rouge products in sophomore linebackers Chris Allen (injured) and former five-star recruit Dylan Moses, who Orgeron described flatly as “a great young man (that) enjoyed the recruiting process.”

Alabama defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs (49) pretends to direct "Rocky Tp" during a timeout against Tennessee in first half action at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tn., on Saturday October 20, 2018.(Photo: Mickey Welsh)

Emotions aside, when Alabama lines up across from LSU receivers such as Justin Jefferson and Jonathan Chase, the Tigers and their coaches know all too well the type of player they’ll be facing.

“I’ve watched him on tape and he’s doing a fine job,” Orgeron said of Smith. “He’s a fine corner, and I’m happy for him and his family.”